ATMA, THE WITNESS ONLY ATMA BODHA 18

 

ATMA,ONLY A WITNESS.  ATMA BODHA 18

DEHENDRIYA – MANO- BUDDHI- PRAKRITIBHYO VILAKSHANAM

TADVRITTI SAKSHINAMVIDYAD ATMANAM RAJAVAT- SADA

“ONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE ATMAN IS ALWAYS SIMILAR TO THE KING. IT IS DISTINCT FROM THE BODY, SENSES, MIND AND INTELLECT ALL OF WHICH CONSTITUTE MATTER OR PRAKRITI. ATMA IS THE WITNESS OF THEIR FUNCTIONS.”

The pity with mortal man is that he identifies himself with the body!  He is totally ignorant that the ATMA is distinct from the body, senses and the mind. All human suffering is because of this misunderstanding. The body is, after all , the place where the ATMA resides. The Katha Upanishad proclaims: “Know that the SELF is like the lord of the chariot and the body is the chariot. Know that the intellect is the charioteer and the mind the reins.  The senses, they say, are the horses, the objects of the senses their roads.When the SELF is in union with the body, the senses and the mind, the wise call HIM the enjoyer.”In our ignorance we think that the Atma suffers when we suffer! We feel that the Atma enjoys when we enjoy! In this manner, we attribute all our actions and feelings to the Atma which exposes our lack of understanding.

 The Vedas and the Upanishads declare that the pure Intelligence All-pervading Brahman is to be understood as distinct from and beyond the physical equipments constituted of the body, mind and intellect.  The SELF or the Brahman is the Supreme Illuminator who illuminates the  complex working of the intellect, the grosser thoughts of the mind and the still grosser physical movements. Despite this seemingly interested association ----illumination, the SELF  is ever a mere ‘witness’ but never a participant. Katha Upanishad very clearly states the paramount significance of the ATMA or SELF: “The sun does not shine there, nor the moon and the stars, nor these lightnings. How then could this fire? When HE shines, everything shines after Him; by HIS light all this is lighted (katha Upanishad 7)  That which illuminates is different from that which is illuminated.

In his inimitable way Sankara gives the illustration of the King presiding over the drama and dance in the darbar hall.While dance and drama continues unabated, the King is a silent witness! Similarly the Atman is a witness of the drama of life taking place in the body and the world outside-----the microcosmic and macrocosmic existence! All aspects of our inner and outer subjective life include the ideas of good and bad, knowledge of right and wrong, sorrow and joy, appreciation of beauty and ugliness, sense of duty and neglect and the actions of the physical body. All these things are illumined for us by that One Awareness, the pure Consciousness! But while illuminating all these feelings and activities, It stands aloof and does not identify itself with the happenings in the entire cosmic order. At the same time It does not identify itself with what happens within ourselves in the different layers of matter! In short,  It is NOT the sharer of the experience; Its role is that of an observer like the King in his Darbar Hall.  It is a non-partisan in all affairs, disinterested in all affairs and yet All- powerful. ( Rajavat)

“ Reflecting  the qualities of all the senses and yet devoid of all the senses, It is the Lord and the ruler of all, It is the great refuge  of all.”----SWETASVATAROPANISHAD  III (Up I I I) I I

“He it is that leads the life-breath upwards and casts the lower breath downwards. All the senses minister to HIM, theAdorable, who is seated in the centre.”------KATHOPANISHAD  V (Up. I I. 2) 3